reef

Log This Dive

Grano de Oro

Grano de Oro is where we head when we’re looking for something a bit different near Lima. Forget the tropical reefs you see on postcards, this is a cool, calm kelp forest, and it’s surprisingly captivating. Dropping in, you're immediately enveloped in swaying golden-green fronds that reach for the surface from the 13-metre seabed. It feels like swimming through an ancient, submerged forest, the light filtering down in dappled patterns. Visibility here averages around five metres, which some might call low, but we think it adds to the atmosphere, giving everything a mysterious, intimate feel. It forces you to slow down, to really look. We’ve spotted Pacific cornetfish drifting almost invisibly among the kelp, and the little barred pipefish are masters of disguise here, perfectly camouflaged. Keep an eye out for the Pacific speckled crabs scuttling over the rocks at the base of the kelp. Because it’s a protected bay, conditions are usually pretty mellow, making it a great spot for newer divers to experience a temperate water environment without strong currents. It’s a wonderful contrast to other South American sites.